Facts About Drinking and DrivingWhat is BAC?

BAC is measured by the weight of the alcohol in a certain volume of blood, thus "blood alcohol concentration".

Alcohol is quickly absorbed and can be measured within 30 to 70 minutes after a person has had a drink.

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What Affects Your BAC?

The number of drinks The more you drink, the higher the BAC.

How fast you drink When alcohol is consumed quickly, you will reach a higher BAC than when it is consumed over a longer period of time.

Your gender Women generally have less water and more body fat per pound of body weight than men. More alcohol remains in the blood of women.

Your weight The more you weigh, the more water is present in your body. This water dilutes the alcohol and lowers the BAC.

Food in your stomach Absorption will be slowed if you’ve had something to eat.

How Can I Reduce My Blood Alcohol Levels?

The only reliable method of reducing your BAC is to wait out the time for the alcohol to be metabolized.

Cold showers, black coffee, fresh air, exercise, vomiting and other home remedies may help you feel more alert but will not reduce your BAC.

Drinking and Driving EffectsHow Alcohol Effects Driving Skills

Reaction time 2 units of alcohol have the effect of increasing reaction time by an average of 0.2 seconds, see details.
Meaning, during alcohol driving, you may react more slowly than usual when something unexpected happens.

It becomes impossible to accurately judge how far away objects are when depth perception deteriorates. Furthermore, your vision becomes blurred or you may see double since eye muscles lose their precision causing them to be unable to focus on the same object.

This is why drunk drivers tend to focus on the road straight ahead, avoid what is happening in their side vision and neglect center line, road signs, etc.

Alcohol affects night vision as well by keeping the pupils from adapting from darkness to light. The oncoming headlights of a car will cause a drunk driver to be dazzled much more severely than a sober driver.

Poor judgment As I just mentioned, due to the depth perception damage, you could have trouble judging your distance and speed relative to the other vehicles on the road.

Comprehension The depressant effect of alcohol slows down the ability to make rational decisions.

Coordination During alcohol driving, the mechanics of driving can be affected by reduced eye/hand/foot coordination.

False sense of confidence This is by far the most dangerous effect. Drinking alcohol may help you feel more confident, and to be sure of yourself that you are capable of driving.

Despite all the above effects on your body, you may take risks you would not normally take.

This is the part where you should be responsible enough to acknowledge your own situation and find a solution in the form of:

Designated drivers

Public transportation

Prior arrangements to stay overnight

Calling someone to pick you up.

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Speak with an addiction specialist 24/7

Confidentially guaranteed

Discuss your treatment options

877-322-2694

Alcohol DrivingHow To Spot a Drunk Driver

When you are driving, especially at night time, it's important to be aware of the other drivers next to you. Stay away if you see another vehicle in which the driver seems to be having problems with drinking and driving. Some signs of a drunk driver are:

Unable to stay within the lane

Driving too fast

Driving too slow

Taking wide turns

Slowing down and speeding up erratically

Driving too close behind another vehicle

Pulling over recklessly

Driving without using headlights

The Good News?

According to the National Institutes of Health:

Since the early 1980s, alcohol-related traffic deaths per population have been cut in half with the greatest proportional decline among persons 16-20 years old.

Reductions in driving after drinking saved more than 150,000 lives between 1982 and 2001 — more than the combined total saved by increases in seat belt use, airbags, and motorcycle and bicycle helmets

The number of alcohol-related traffic deaths among 16 to 20 year-olds in the U.S. decreased from 5,244 in 1982 to 2,115 in 2004 in large measure because of the legal drinking age of 21 and Zero Tolerance Laws.

If you or someone close to you is having problems with drinking and driving, and wants help and advice on quitting drinking then take a look at the following pages:

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Site Info.

Deborah Morrow, M.S. Addiction Psychology, is the director of treatment programs for The Alcoholism Guide website. In her practice Deborah provides on-line coaching and support for those dependent on alcohol or who require other services such as relapse prevention or court mandated services. (Read More)